12 Cowhouse The Mooo-vie

CHAPTER 12 COWHOUSE: THE MOOO-VIE Wow—no time at all seems to have passed since the end of the last chapter and yet it's already tomorrow night right now. Welcome to our movie premiere!

EVERYONE is coming. In fact, they should be here already, because the movie is due to start in ten minutes and the only ones here are Terry, Jill, me and you. But where is everybody else? 'Terry, you did send out all the invitations, didn't you?' I say. 'Yes,' says Terry. 'I gave them all to Bill the

Postman to post.' 'And all my animals know about it,' says Jill. 'They've been really looking forward to it!' 'So where are they?' I say. Jill shrugs. 'I don't know,' she says. 'Oh, look, here comes someone now!' says Terry, pointing. We see a group of animals, chattering and chirping, approaching from the edge of the forest.

'Okay,' I say, 'everybody just act cool. There's probably going to be a riot when they recognise us!' 'Yeah,' says Terry. 'Lucky we've got these little velvet ropes to protect us.' But instead of heading towards our tree, the animals walk right past our searchlights, our velvet ropes and red carpet and head deeper into the forest. 'That's weird,' I say. 'Yes,' says Jill. 'They were talking about a movie, too, although they weren't saying "movie" they were saying "mooo-vie".' I gasp. 'What?' says Terry. 'It's those spy cows I was trying to tell you about,'

I say. 'I think they've stolen our movie—and our opening night as well!' 'I already told you, Andy,' says Jill. 'I just don't think cows would do that. They're not interested in movies —unless the movies are about grass, of course.'

ABOVE: An artist's impression of a poster for the sort of movie Jill thinks cows would be interested in. 'Perhaps you're right, Jill,' I say. 'Maybe ordinary cows are not interested in most movies—but these are no ordinary cows. These are mooo-vie-making spy cows. You believe me, don't you, Terry?'